France 1808-U 5 francs

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Stack's Bowers September 2025 Collectors Choice sale, lot 71294
SB925-71294r.jpg

This specimen was lot 71294 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, September 2025), where it sold for $1,020. The catalog description[1] noted, "FRANCE. Empire. 5 Francs, 1808-U. Turin Mint. Napoleon I. PCGS VF-20. A SCARCER crown, this specimen does display a fair degree of handling, but nevertheless remains wholesome and without issue. From the Richard Margolis Collection (acquired from Leu in 1975 for $150). Ex: Leu (10/1975) Lot # 286 (part of)." Silver five francs were minted throughout Napoleon's reign in large quantities using looted bullion. This design added a laurel wreath to Napoleon's bust. The 1808-A and 1808-B are the common mints for the year; the entire production run totaled about 9.4 million pieces. The products of the Turin mint are also sought by Italian collectors. In 1809, the reverse was revised to read "EMPIRE FRANÇAISE".

Recorded mintage: 14,366[2], a very rare date.

Specification: 25 g, 0.900 fine silver, 37 mm diameter, edge lettered DIEU PROTEGE LA FRANCE. Designed by Pierre Joseph Tiolier, 1763-1819.

Catalog reference: Dav-84; Sobin-57; F.306/14, KM-686.13; Gad-583.

Sources:

  • Davenport, John S., European Crowns, 1700-1800, 2nd Ed., London: Spink & Son, 1964.
  • Gadoury, Victor, Monnaies Françaises, 1789-2019, 24me éd., Monaco: Éditions Victor Gadoury, 2019.
  • Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
  • [2]Prieur, Michel, and Laurent Schmitt, Le Franc 10: Les Monnaies, Paris: Éditions les Chevau-légers, 2014.
  • George Sobin, Jr., The Silver Crowns of France, 1640-1973. Teaneck, NJ: Richard Margolis, 1974.
  • [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, September 2025 World Collectors Choice Online Auction, including Selections from the Richard Margolis Collection and Selections from the L.E. Bruun Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2025.

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